Category Archives: Devotional

Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Keep thy foot while going to worship God. This is the thought of Moses and Holy ground. This is the idea of reverence and respect for the idea of meeting God here. Fruitful and acceptable worship is what is under consideration here. Would this mean that God does not accept any way we desire to worship God? Absolutely, a serious study of worship in the Old Testament and the New Testament is needed to find God’s way of worship. To keep your foot means to be careful of your conduct when coming into the presence of God. A place of worship is a sanctified place because of the presence of God. If we were meeting outside under a tree, the very presence of God demands a reverence because His presence sanctifies that ground just as much as the ground at the burning bush.

Hear the word. Be ready to draw near with great desire to hear and obey the call of the Lord in salvation, surrender, and service. The Word is precious indeed and much needed today. The inward devotion of the spirit will direct our outward worship in a manner that is approved and loved by God. The Word should convict us as to the worship that is acceptable, not based upon our desire but based upon what the Word has revealed to us about the character of God and the desire of God for a proper and acceptable worship.

The sacrifice of fools would be a sacrifice that is unacceptable to God. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were not to be sick, lame or blind. What are we offering that comes under the heading of “the sacrifice of fools? Some offer out of ignorance, others out of convenience, and yet others offer out of emotion. Knowledge of God’s Word should guide our sacrifice of worship to God.

A reverent sincerity is always appropriate. Obedience is always acceptable.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

The great tragedy today is a Lack of knowledge. We have simplified our knowledge of the Bible to a few simple slogans that express a small amount of knowledge about the Bible, God, Christ and the life we are to lead. We have not only dumbed down the secular education today but have also dumbed down Christian education. We have reduced the knowledge and discussion to a few favorite slogans leaving out the teachings that do not appeal to the masses. We are not teaching about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We are not teaching the truths of the Church and what a Church is and the Churches responsibilities as the administrator of the kingdom of God.

This Biblical Knowledge has been rejected because it would convict. It has not only been rejected but also has been ridiculed as something that is not applicable to today’s lifestyle. This is a term that simply says, “I do not want to live a separated life from the world.” “I want to claim to be a Christian and yet do worldly things and have worldly attitudes.” There is a rejection today of a separated life that stands out and is outstanding.

God said, “I will also reject thee.” This was written to Israel, yet is just as applicable today as it was in Hosea’s day. The claim is that Israel has forgotten the law of God. That is true today also. We are not under the law of Moses but we are under God’s law of “study to show thy self approved.” We are under the law of “love thy neighbor as thyself.” We are under the law of “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” We are under the law of “put off concerning the former conversation the old man.” We have the law of holiness, “so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”

Here is a warning for this day as it was in the days of Israel. I will forget thy children. Certainly, we see that warning coming to fruition today. We are losing our children to the world. When the world is brought into the Church, we lose the children to the world. Church truths are no longer taught to our children. They are certainly involved in activities yet the shallowing teaching of the Word of God enables them to embrace some of the sinful practices of the word. Then they stray. What a mess we have created, trying to entertain to create interest instead of driving the teaching home for conviction.

Obadiah 1:7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.

Obadiah writes to Edom and they are descendants of Esau the brother of Jacob. Obadiah has a severe warning to the “wise men of the east,” Edom. Destruction is coming. This destruction will be by those that claim to be friends, like-minded, with the same goals. They have come as men of peace, proclaiming love and a common desire. They have formed a confederacy and shared meals together. Then we find the wound that has been planned by beguiling Edom. This will bring about the destruction of Edom.

Yet there is a similarity to this very situation today. Churches holding the truth of God’s Word have a desire to fellowship together. These churches form a union with other Churches proclaiming they believe the same core doctrines and set down to break bread together. They proclaim love and are at peace with the truths proclaimed by each other. They hold hands while some that have proclaimed to be like-minded are setting a snare and a trap. Some that know of the infiltration are afraid to say anything because of retaliation. Others know but stray to follow for acceptance sake. This is a progressive festering of a wound that has been by subterfuge and God’s work and Word has been undermined.

This brought about the destruction of Edom. What about the true Churches? How much destruction will God’s Churches experience before they stand up to the enemy among us?

Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

We are faced with those that would alter or change the Word of God. There are those that take away from the Word and those that add to the Word. The idea of the term to “take heed” is to pay attention to what some have to say. We are to compare what they say, not to man’s reasoning or logic, but to what the Bible has to say.

Each minister has been given a charge to feed the Church of God. I have had the occasion to call a Church that was without a pastor and has asked them, “can you describe the Church that Jesus built?” The answer, “we don’t know what you are talking about.” This is a sad situation to be confronted with. Notice the term that He uses in reference to the Church, “he hath purchased with His own blood.” I believe that the whole counsel of God is important to our Lord. We should be teaching the people.

Grievous wolves will enter. We see that happening today. I compare them to leaches. They are trying to thrive from the work of others. Men that go astray from the truth or leave out or add to the Word and mislead the people of God. Men that set themselves in a place of trust to usurp the teachings of past faithful men that labored and sacrificed on behalf of that Church.

These are men from our midst that have gone astray after a Jezebel and destroy the work that God called faithful men have built. They come in the guise of greater knowledge and a better understanding or later findings. These are the coverings they use to take away the Lord’s Church from the paths of truth. They belittle the work of those that have gone before and built the work that they now pastor.

Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Another incomparable comparison that is made in God’s Word. This comparison is about God’s Word. The hydrological cycle always supplies the earth with water. This is God’s plan for the growth of plants. Notice the reference to seed to the sower. At this present time, many are preparing and planting gardens. Seed is needed to drop in furrows and then the prayer for rain goes up. This rain will cause the seed to bud and grow and produce a harvest because someone has invested in sowing seed.

God gives us many examples in the New Testament of sowing seed. This is our example to sow the seed of the Word. This is a continuous process because the field is always white unto harvest. We must be faithful even when we are discouraged. The emphasis is on God’s Word. It is not our words or our wisdom. God has promised that His Word will not return void. God will take the seed we deposit and send the rain from the Holy Spirit and cause the seed to grow in the heart. God said His Word would not return empty or void. God’s Word will always accomplish the work God intends for it.

He is simply waiting for us to sow the Word to all we meet and then allow Him to work within the hearts where the seed has been sown. Are we sowing the seed?

What a prayer of faith and trust in God. The Army of Asa was 580 thousand. He faced an army of a thousand thousand. The Ethiopian army stood at one million men. The Ethiopian army was about twice as large. For the average man, there is no sense in fighting this battle. The odds were too large. It was sure destruction.

Have you ever considered a missionary that went into a new field not knowing anyone but simply has a calling from God to be in this place and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone that would listen? The missionaries are outnumbered. They are one feeble light in a great mass of Darkness. The Lord’s Church is outnumbered by the ones that are preaching untruths and causing many at death to descend into the pits of hell. Look at those Church members engaging in telling others about Christ. The work of the true Church has many enemies that are fighting against the truth. Salvation does not come through good works, baptism or Church membership. It comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. That work He completed on the cross. Paul told the Ephesian brethren that salvation is a free gift.

Listen, when God is with us, who can be against us? Just as Asa triumphed through pray and the might and strength of God, we must rely on God to defeat the enemy. We must pray for the help of God because He has the power. He can defeat the enemy. He can overcome every obstacle Satan puts in our way.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The beginning or starting place for the greatest relationship is the Fear of the Lord. It is obvious that the starting point of a relationship is respect and fear of the Lord. This leads to the beginning of knowledge. The greatest knowledge is the gathering of facts that come from the Lord. He is the creator of the Universe and the molder and maker of man. From Him, we breathe and move. In learning about God we gain facts that if we will live based upon those facts that God reveals to us, we will be pleasing to Him. Our lives will be enhanced, and we will live fuller lives that are productive. We will respond to His instruction and gain wisdom.

The fear of the Lord brings intellectual responsibility and activity to our daily life. We ponder the majesty of the Lord and His Holiness as compared to our sordid sinful life and mull over how God has been so good to us by providing a savior to cleanse us. We see the need to inquire into his attributes and character to learn more about the one who so graciously gave His Son that we might live.

I think about the ones that do not want to know more about our God, our Lord, our Savior. How tragic their lives must be to live a short life not knowing the depths and riches of our Lord.

Psalm 133:1A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Unity, often discussed, difficult to attain. Unity is so important in the work of the Lord. There are times where dis-unity causes the work of God to be hindered. Unity promotes and encourages the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should be united in Sentiment. Sentiment is a tender feeling or emotion for others that are engaged in the work of the Lord. It is that part of mankind where joy is shared by all and death is mourned together and those that leave our union brings great sadness. This sentiment is coupled with a union of feeling. This feeling brings a confidence among those that are in union. When we are in union with sentiment and feeling, we will be united in effort. When we are united in effort, the Lord’s work will be accomplished.

Church union is very important. The Church must be united in the teachings of the Scriptures. We must agree on core doctrines that relate to God, Jesus, and the Church. Without this union on Scripture, there is division which hinders the work. Unity is strength. Where there is unity there is strength to do the work. Unity brings happiness. When all are pulling the yoke together we have a unity of purpose that brings us together to pursue a goal. Where there is unity, there is love. A love that overshadows the work that is done for the Lord. Through all of the discussions on God, Church, and Doctrine, we should have unity even in our disagreements.

II Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

What would we hear if we would listen to God? I mean that in reading His inspired Word that He has given us we would really see the message that God has for us. We often fight our battles without the help of the Lord. We are alone and on our own battling others and situations in a weak manner because we have made this battle, this altercation, this misunderstanding a battle that we personally take on.

Judah, Jerusalem and the king were in dire straits. Enemies had come up against them. Several enemies were aligned against God’s people. Because of fear, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast in Judah. This brought Judah to the altar to seek the Lord. Here are the people admitting to God that they did not have the might to defeat their enemies. We need to learn to admit that we are powerless against the enemies that face us. We do not need to face them alone. We need to call upon God for help. We need to turn our eyes, our hearts, and our minds upon the Lord from whom we have salvation.

This is where the Lord said, “…the battle is not yours, but God’s. What peace we will have if we turn these things over to God. There are times I have worried and paced over a problem or situation and did not find an answer or peace and simply turned it over to the Lord. Then peace came because God always has the answer.

What God did is such an amazing thing. God won the battle without involving Israel. He turned the enemies against each other. They destroyed themselves. Israel sang praises to God during the self-destruction of their enemies. They among the dead and gathered the spoil and the riches of the fallen.

Here is what God said: You don’t need to fight, stand still, see the salvation of the Lord. Jehoshaphat said to the people, “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”

We need to learn the battle is the Lord’s. Give it to Him. We need to learn to witness and allow God to convict. The Battle is the Lord’s.

2Chronicles 26:4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

How often today we hear of prosperity from the pulpit and the people. It is only natural for the ungodly to seek the money that most people consider prosperity. Some align themselves, in a religious manner, with prosperity being wealth and health. God’s Word addresses prosperity in II Chronicles 26. Here we find the story of Uzziah when he is made king. It is said of Uzziah that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. This is a tremendous commendation for a person to have. “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord.” Now here is the commendation from God. “… God made him to prosper.”

What does that mean? In what way did God make him prosper? The inspired word says that he “prospered in warriors.’ He prospered in battles. He prospered in building protection for the cities. He invented machines for the protection of the cities. He prospered in digging wells to sustain the people. I do not see anything about health or wealth and prosperity in this chapter. His prosperity was in caring and protecting the people.

Sometimes the benevolence and prosperity that God shows toward His people bring about a change in them. The Scriptures say that when he was strong his heart was lifted up. He had a moral failing called pride. What a terrible thing pride causes us to become. Because of his pride, he intruded in the office of the priests. He, apparently decided that he would burn incense upon the altar. What could possibly be the attitude here? Surely God would not reject my worship. Certainly, God looks upon my heart and sees my intent that I do this to worship Him and He will accept it. The pride fooled the mind of Uzziah and hid his eyes to the truth that God had prescribed a way for the incense to be offered and proscribed any other way.

The high priest and fourscore priests of the Lord withstood him. God punishes those that allow pride to cause them to sin against the plan and instructions of God. The king became a leper and was a leper till he died. Leprosy was a disease that called for a person to be ostracized from others. A Godly man that was made to proper in several areas of life was punished by God with a heinous disease.

God hates pride. God will punish pride. Let us prosper in the Lord, not health, even though we want good health, not in wealth, even though we want to pay our bills, but in obedience to God and helping others.

The deepness of the Word

There is, today, a move away from the deep endearing knowledge of God and what He wants us to know. We are shallow in knowledge, relationship and living. We can no longer call our selves Christians because we do not pass the test of "Christ like." We want what we want and tend to move through the buffet line of the Bible, picking and choosing our desires. By this we allow our selves to indulge in worldly thought and actions.

We are called to be a separate people, distinct from the world and its practices. Those that call themselves Christians today practice worldly things and are no longer identifiable as Christians.